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Research - INSEAD Hoffmann Institute

The INSEAD Hoffmann Institute aims to supports INSEAD faculty in producing rigorous, forward-looking research that informs how organisations create value while respecting environmental and social limits. We support, mentor and amplify work that bridges scholarship and practice — across a variety of sustainable business topics including the circular economy, decarbonisation, environmental regulation, sustainable finance, humanitarian operations, wealth inequality and beyond.

How we support research

Four levers, one purpose: turning inquiry into impact.

01. Grants programme

Multi-year support for INSEAD faculty research projects with practice orientation and a tangible teaching deliverable.

02. Early-career mentorship

Postdoctoral fellowships, predoctoral associates and PhD support, building the next generation of scholars at the interface of business and society.

03. Industry partnerships

Formal research collaborations with companies and public institutions, providing data, problems and pathways to impact.

04. Knowledge dissemination

Translation of academic findings into managerial articles, cases, podcasts and policy briefs that reach decision-makers.

The INSEAD Hoffmann Grants Programme (IHGP)

Making sustainability research matter in the classroom and the boardroom

INSEAD Hoffmann Grants Programme supports faculty-led scholarship that identifies and expands the frontier of solutions that are good for business and good for the world — at the same time.

What we support

INSEAD Hoffmann Grants Programme is the flagship research funding initiative of the INSEAD Hoffmann Institute. Its purpose is to stimulate, support, and accelerate faculty-led research that advances the understanding of how business can simultaneously create economic value and contribute positively to society and the planet.

The Programme operates from the conviction that the most consequential research challenges of our time lie at the intersection of business performance and societal or environmental sustainability — and that rigorous, practice-grounded scholarship can identify and expand the frontier of solutions that are good for both. The Programme exists to fund this kind of research:  scholarship that reveals and designs pathways to economic value and positive contributions to society and the planet.

Key dates — 2026–2027

June 2026: Call issued

15 Sep: Submission deadline

22 Sep: Proposals to EC

14 Oct: EC evaluation

Post-EC: Awards & feedback

Dec 2026 : Supplementary call (optional)

Learn more about the application process

Apply Here

Current Sustainability Research

Explore INSEAD research projects across sustainability themes, illustrating the breadth of practice-grounded research.

Environmental Sustainability

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The Circular Business Model

Atalay Atasu, Céline Dumas and Luk N. Van Wassenhove
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From wells to windmills: Resource redeployment and new technology investment in the energy sector

Aldona Kapacinskaite
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hand holding a plant

Lost in Transition: Financial Barriers to Green Growth

Philippe Aghion
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Trees

Sustainability as a Business-Model Transformation

Felipe Monteiro
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Can Investors Save the Planet While Making a Profit?

Claudia Zeisberger
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picture of Urban mining

Clean Energy, Material Scarcity and Urban Mining

Atalay Atasu, Luk N. Van Wassenhove, Clara Carrera, Serasu Duran
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Light bulb

The Economics of Sustainability

Karel Cool , Atalay Atasu and Nathan Furr
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Social Sustainability

A cat and a dog

When Diversity Meets Feedback

Erin Meyer
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coins with a man and women

Narrowing Industry Wage Premiums and the Decline in the Gender Wage Gap

Alexandra Roulet, Mark Stabile
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Stethoscope and Laptop Computer

Conditional Approval and Value-Based Pricing for New Health Technologies

Stephen Chick
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Farmers collecting in a field

Smallholder-Farmer Yield-Improvement Programs: Are They Really Doing Any Good?

Guillaume Roels
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corridor of a empty hospital

The Effects of Hospital Closures on Nearby Nursing Homes: Spillover Effects and Operational Resilience

Xinyu Liang
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Close up of a monitor display a chart

Financial Globalization vs. Income Inequality: The Surprising Role of Delegated Foreign Portfolio Flows

Massimo Massa
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Unjani Clinics: Meeting the Need for Scale Through Social Franchising

Vikas Aggarwal
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Pack of oats, with nutri-score

Effects of front-of-pack labels on the nutritional quality of supermarket food purchases: evidence from a large-scale randomized controlled trial

Paulo Albuquerque, Pierre Chandon
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Cross-Cutting Themes

a women standing on spiral stairs

Sustainable Development for a Better World: Contributions of Leadership Management and Organizations

Stefan Thau
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person stood on top of a pyramid

Five Global Trends in Business and Society in 2026

Francisco Veloso and Peter Joos
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Lorry on a road

Africa doesn't have a choice between economic growth and protecting the environment: how they can go hand in hand

Lite Nartey
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A computer with code

Traceability Technology Adoption in Supply Chain Networks

Georgina Hall
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a close up of person face in front of a computer

Refocusing loyalty programs in the era of big data: a societal lens paradigm

So Yeon Chun
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Hands holding a plant

People, Peace, Prosperity, and the Planet: A Journey toward Sustainable Development in Consumer Research

Abhishek Borah
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Does Land Inequality Increase Modern Agriculture's Vulnerability to Climate Change? Evidence from Space

Dylan Glover
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Explore other INSEAD Centres & Initiatives

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The Gender Initiative

The Gender Initiative produces and promotes cutting-edge social science research to transform practice and policy. Our goal is to challenge tired assumptions and to provide evidence-based practical insights for current and future leaders looking to advance diversity and inclusion in their organisations.
Read more here
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Healthcare Management Initiative

The Healthcare Management Initiative (HMI) at INSEAD is grounded in the belief that many of the systemic challenges facing global healthcare can be addressed through rigorous, evidence-based thought leadership. Our work centers on two core areas: driving business model innovation to support health system transformation and improving access to quality care for underserved populations. 
Read more here
Research Insights August 2025

Humanitarian Research Group

The Humanitarian Research Group specialises in the science of development and relief operations. The HRG aligns its research with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Group conducts rigorous practised-based research resulting in a wide array of high-quality cases, papers and reports that contribute to INSEAD Knowledge and broader service contributions. The main themes cover a large variety of topics, including new technologies and business models, health supply chains, disaster response and developmental logistics, and social impact.
Read more here

African Venture Capital

The Africa Initiative

The Africa Initiative aims to develop and disseminate the best of business thought leadership, teaching and research on this vast and diverse continent of 54 countries, great linguistic and cultural heritage, unique values and natural resources, and incredible ingenuity and flair for innovation. We believe that business has tremendous potential to be a force for good in Africa, aided by leaders who value social impact and are committed to the UN Sustainability Development Goals to drive these positive changes.
Read more here
Centre for the Study of Wealth Inequality site banner

James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Centre for the Study of Wealth Inequality

The James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Centre for the Study of Wealth Inequality was founded in 2017 to serve as the leading venue for the research and teaching of income and wealth inequality issues.By convening an interdisciplinary team of scholars from across INSEAD, the Centre aims to generate new insights about inequality problems and harness the power of business to solve them. It connects the lab with the classroom to ignite new ideas; spur discourse and debate; shape business education; and inspire leaders to take action.
Read more here
Two people each on a chess pawn

Negotiation and Conflict Management Collaborative

The Negotiation and Conflict Management Collaborative (NCMC) promotes research on sustainable negotiation strategies to expand the concept of sustainability in this area and in managing conflict. Sustainable negotiation emphasises strategies that can be applied repeatedly among similar parties, building long-term value and fostering stronger relationships over time, in contrast to approaches that yield only short-term gains.
Read more here

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Sustainable Business Initiative

The Sustainable Business Initiative takes a business-driven approach to sustainability, tackling pressing challenges through rigorous academic research that delivers actionable insights and solutions relevant to the business world. The initiative also fosters collaboration among faculty, promoting interdisciplinary research with industry partners while providing early-career academics with opportunities to engage in forward looking research.
Read more here
INSEAD Ethics & Social Responsibility Initiative site banner

Ethics and Social Responsibility Initiative

The Ethics and Social Responsibility Initiative (ESRI), conducts pioneering research on ethical and social responsibility issues that businesses face today. The ESRI addresses questions of ethics and social responsibility in business from a normative approach and a descriptive/positive approach. It provides educational resources and support to help INSEAD and other schools develop responsible business leaders through case studies and teaching. 
Read more here

Who to contact

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Maria Fedorova

Senior Manager, Research and Impact

For enquiries about the INSEAD Hoffmann Grants Programme (IHGP), eligibility, or the application process.

[email protected]